Absorbent articles of personal hygiene are known in the art. Typical examples include sanitary napkins, panty liners, adult incontinence articles, infant diapers, paper towels, bath tissue and facial tissue. Such articles are often used to absorb and retain bodily fluids and other exudates excreted by the human body. Typically, such exudates are perceived as malodorous and offensive. Therefore, methods and materials for controlling and reducing malodors in absorbent articles have been developed. Some examples are discussed hereinafter.
An early, basic reference in this respect is EP 510 619. This document discloses a wide variety of materials, which have proven to be effective in certain circumstances in reducing malodors in absorbent articles of personal hygiene. EP 959 846 discloses such materials comprising polyacrylate superabsorbers and silica. EP 811 387 discloses absorbent articles being provided with a zeolite and silica odor control system. EP 963 186 discloses an odor control systems comprising zeolites, silica and polyacrylic superabsorbers. EP 912 149 discloses chelating agents for use in odor control in absorbent articles, particularly polyfunctionally substituted aromatic chelants.
Although, the above solutions may provide a consumer-noticeable degree of malodor reduction in absorbent articles, due to the nature of action and the materials chosen, only a limited variety of malodorous compounds can be counteracted.
Therefore it is desirable to provide absorbent articles having an odor control system, which acts against a wide variety of malodors in a holistic manner. It is also desirable to provide an absorbent article having an odor control system including at least one class of materials that reduces malodors by acting on malodors or a malodorous substance in the article and/or at least one class that acts on certain nose receptors. It would also be desirable to provide an absorbent article including an odor control system having at least one material that acts on the malodors and/or malodorous substance to reduce the odor and the same or another material that acts on nose receptors to help reduce the perception of malodor.